Political rule means rich drown out everyday Americans

Today, Americans around the country will reflect not only on the status of our increasingly unrepresentative democracy, but also on our commitment to write new political rules that actually preserve government of the people, by the people and for the people.

Five years ago today, the Supreme Court's infamous decision in Citizens United v. FEC allowed billionaires and corporations to drown out the voices of everyday Americans with unlimited spending in elections. The court's promise that unlimited money in elections would not lead to corruption, or even its appearance, nor cause the electorate to lose faith in our democracy, is shattered into ever-smaller pieces with the passing of each election cycle.

When just 50 individuals and their spouses accounted for more than a third of the $800 million spent by super PACs in 2014, it's no wonder that 75 percent of Americans think the wealthy have more of a chance to influence the elections and government decisions than most Americans, or that 92 percent say it is important that our elected leaders reduce the influence of money in political elections.

Since Citizens United, voters have issued a call to elected leaders at the local, state and federal level to support a set of policies that together would help ensure a democracy based on the principle of one person, one vote — not one dollar, one vote.

More than 600 cities and towns and 16 states have passed resolutions calling on Congress to propose a constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United. Here in Iowa, Des Moines' City Council recently began consideration of this resolution, while city councils in Dubuque and two other towns, Buffalo and Blue Grass, have already passed the resolution.

The only thing that surpasses the billions spent, increasing in each election cycle since Citizens United, is the public outrage at what is happening to our democracy and the motivation of voters to fight back. Americans of all political stripes are building a national movement that is already achieving real policy and political wins around the country. By 2016 no candidate will be able to avoid answering questions about how they will solve the political money problems plaguing our democracy.

Today, members of Congress will introduce legislation that, if passed, would bring us closer to the type of democracy we envision and want to live in. That is, a democracy where voters have the right to know who is trying to influence our views and gain improper influence over our representatives; where everyone has a voice in the decisions affecting their lives; and where access to lawmakers is not determined by the size of your wallet.

At the same time, hundreds of everyday Iowans will rally on Jan. 27 at the state capitol to build support for similar legislation at the state level, as part of a larger "People & Planet First" agenda. Other cities and states have already proven that policies like robust, real-time disclosure of money in elections and small donor public financing of elections will put "We the People" back in the driver's seat of our democracy.

The Supreme Court dealt a blow to democracy in Citizens United, but every day the chorus of citizens demanding government by the people grows louder.

STEVE ABBOTT is Iowa state council president of the Communications Workers of America. HUGH ESPEY is executive director of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement. Contact: hugh@iowacci.org